1. Franklin Perez, 20, RH starter, 6-3, 197: In a native Venezuelan's right arm is the primary payoff for the Tigers bestowing Justin Verlander — and by extension, last year’s World Series party — on the Astros. He was the Tigers' top prize in August's midnight-oil transaction that also brought to Detroit a potentially solid center fielder in Daz Cameron, as well as a defensively gifted catcher in Jake Rogers. But it was Perez's combination of youth (he turned 20 in December) and achievement, which last year saw him reach Double A, that pushed the Tigers to hold out for Perez. He has a fastball he can throw to appropriate spots that runs 93 and up, as well as a fine curve and change-up, and a slider that could help push him to Detroit by 2019. The slider will be his primary project as he polishes his repertoire this year at Double A Erie, and perhaps soon, at Triple A Toledo. Perez signed as a 16-year-old for $1 million. Teenagers get that kind of money only rarely — when their talents are likewise viewed as rare. Perez's stock has only risen since.
Robert Gurganus, Associated Press

2. Beau Burrows, 21, RH starter, 6-2, 200: Going to be a rather eventful season for Burrows, it would seem. He has a chance to pitch his way to Toledo and maybe to Detroit for a September cameo. Either way, Comerica Park is drawing closer. He is a legitimate high-end rotation bulldog, with a big-league fastball that can cruise in the mid-90s, a curveball that bites, a slider that needs more seasoning, and a change-up. He was a first-round pick three years ago and has done nothing but shine at two low-Single A stops ahead of last year’s move to Double A, where he'll begin his 2018 trek. Burrows must sharpen his slider. He must command four pitches. But the arc has been smooth at every level. He'll add some necessary polish in 2018.
Mike Janes, Associated Press

3. Isaac Paredes, 18, SS, 5-11, 175: The Tigers might have gotten one of their more blessed trade-delivered prospects in years when they pulled Paredes from the Cubs in July's deal for Justin Wilson and Alex Avila. It isn't certain he’ll remain at shortstop; he's bigger and thicker than is typically the case for shortstops who must show reasonable defensive range. But he should be an excellent big-league second baseman, or third baseman, when his defense already is strong and his bat is potentially stronger. It's customary for teenage minor-leaguers to be shy on power. Their bodies haven't yet developed sufficiently to make home runs part of their hitting profile. Paredes, though, balances power and line drives with nice plate discipline (.341 on-base percentage in 174 minor-league games). The Tigers have been crying for an infielder who has potential all-around All-Star-grade skills. They likely got him in Paredes.
Robin Buckson, Detroit News

4. Alex Faedo, 22, RH starter, 6-5, 225: This is an interesting guy to anoint as a team's fourth-best minor-league prospect. He has yet to pitch in a professional game. Which tells you how talented is Faedo, who was the Tigers’ first-round pick in June. Faedo showed enough during his college days at the University of Florida, and through the Gators’ 2017 College World Series victory party, to make projections easier than would typically be the case. He is a powerful and poised artisan, with a slider that can make hitters consider a different career. His fastball is of the 92-93-mph variety. He has a change-up that will get sharper in 2018 as he finally pitches professionally, which figures to be at Single A Lakeland. But it's the slider that’s his trademark, and it’s the slider most of Faedo's new followers in Detroit will be most watching during spring camp and beyond.
Robin Buckson, Detroit News

5. Daz Cameron, 21, OF, 6-2, 185: He, too, was one of the prizes the Tigers insisted upon when Verlander was forwarded to Houston last August. The Tigers had liked what they saw during a June-July-August spree when Cameron, then playing Single A ball for the Astros, had these OPS numbers in successive months: .849, .906, and 1.026, including a .460 on-base percentage and .566 slugging that forged his August OPS (.377 batting average). Cameron, of course, is the son of ex-big-leaguer Mike Cameron and was a first-round pick in 2015 (37th overall) as he departed Eagle's Landing Christian High in McDonough, Ga. The Tigers liked him a lot during last October's instructional camp — his approach, his power, which seems to be gaining as he adds years and muscle — and will give him a shot at Double A Erie once Florida camp adjourns. A serious kid who works hard. Not much to not like about Cameron.
Mike Janes, Associated Press

6. Gregory Soto, 23, LH starter, 6-1, 180: Here is another of the power-armed gents who could, and probably should, be bidding for Comerica Park rotation shifts as early as 2019. Soto's fastball can run in the higher 90s, with a slider (more of a “slurve”) that makes him particularly unpopular with hitters. Numbers in two categories explain his ruggedness: He has struck out 144 batters last season in 124 innings. He has allowed 97 hits. A pitcher who strikes out more than a single batter per inning while allowing markedly fewer than nine hits per nine innings is a nasty hurler. Ah, but there is one issue: control, which will need to be improved upon in 2018. He's developing. He is not a fast-lane arrival. But he could be worth the wait.
Robin Buckson, Detroit News

7. Matt Manning, 20, RH starter, 6-6, 190: It’s necessary to remember this, until a couple of weeks ago, was a teenage pitcher. Percentages have never been terribly high when it comes to projecting big-league starters long before pitchers are old enough to drink. That's the hang-up with Manning. When they made him their top pick in 2016, the Tigers liked him, in great part because of his overall athleticism and the sport in which he then specialized. He was a basketball player whose arm had a minimum of mileage. The rawness was on display during Manning's first season and-a-half as a professional. He has much development ahead. He also has a terrific arsenal with which the farm coaches can work. Best advice in tracking Manning: Be patient. He’ll likely be at high Single A to begin the year. The Tigers, who were careful with him last season, will be content with a slow-growth process when it offers so much dividend down the road.
Four Seam Images, Associated Press

8. Jake Rogers, 22, C, 6-1, 190: Part of the trifecta that came Detroit's way thanks to the Astros-Verlander swap, Rogers will be a plus defender in the big leagues, with, per usual, his bat determining if he starts or works more often as a backup. But go ahead and bet Rogers will bat with enough crunch to make him an everyday catcher. That's what the Tigers were forecasting when last August's midnight deal was being sealed. Rogers' defense is indeed superb. And he has a furious arm. A third-round pick out of Tulane in 2016, Rogers, who turns 23 in April, could be moving to Detroit as early as sometime next season. Depends much on how that bat develops in 2018. But that .817 OPS at three Single A stops in 2017 hinted at a reasonable hitter's profile.
Robin Buckson, Detroit News

9. Kyle Funkhouser, 23, RH starter, 6-2, 220: Credit the Tigers' scouts on this call. No one says he's a sure thing. He needs to show he can pitch 150 sturdy innings. But the big-picture view of Funkhouser is that the Tigers probably stole a first-round arm with a fourth-round draft pick in 2016. He has missed most of last season’s second half because of an elbow strain. But there wasn’t any ligament damage and most of Funkhouser's issues can be traced to nearly a year on the sidelines after he was drafted in the first round by the Dodgers in 2015 and decided against signing. He instead opted for a reunion with the University of Louisville, where he got his degree, then watched his draft stock in '16 slip to the fourth round. The Tigers saw last season at West Michigan and at Lakeland a pitcher who was cut straight from his 2015, first-round status. Expect him to be a rapid-climber in 2018 — if he can get his body to cooperate.
Mike Janes, Associated Press

10. Dawel Lugo, 23, 2B, 6-foot, 190: He was another of the poker chips sent Detroit's way when the Tigers last July forwarded J.D. Martinez to the Diamondbacks. He is considered a middle infielder, but the Tigers are thinking of him more as a second baseman, if not a third baseman, as he settles in at Double A Erie. They also have hopes his right-handed bat will progress, which, again, means fans might or might not see in Lugo a player whose offense matches his defense. But he has slammed 46 home runs in his relatively short minor-league life and the Tigers are content to let Lugo evolve as he moves potentially closer to becoming Ian Kinsler's replacement at second. One fact not always known about Lugo: He got a whopping $1.3 million from the Blue Jays to sign as a 16-year-old. No one of credible perspective has whispered the word “bust.”
Mike Janes, Associated Press

Edwin Espinal, 1B: Flourishing in the Tigers galaxy following a long stint on the Pirates’ farm. He’s batting .324, with a .408 on-base percentage and an .804 OPS. Espinal, who also is a graceful defender, is 24, bats right-handed, and is 6-foot-1, 245 pounds.

Dawel Lugo, 2B: One of those guys who at any point this year could get a late-night phone call from Mud Hens manager Doug Mientkiewicz telling him he’s on his way to Detroit. Lugo, 23, and the feature attraction in Arizona’s trade package that last July landed J.D. Martinez, is hitting .299. He bats right-handed and should show more sock (to date: no homers, four doubles) as the weather warms.

Grayson Greiner, C: He was as cold as an overnight low in the early days of Toledo’s schedule, but has since heated up with a 9-for-19 streak. Greiner is 25, is 6-6, 220, swings right-handed, and was a third-round pick in 2014 (South Carolina).

A.J. Ladwig, RH starter: Nice string of starts for Ladwig, who in 2014 was an 11th-rounder from Wichita State. He is 3-0, with a 2.16 ERA and 0.90 WHIP, graced by an opposing batting average of .186.

Johnny Barbato, RH reliever: Probably not far from a Tigers appearance thanks to these six-game numbers: 72/3 innings, six hits, one earned run, nine strikeouts, three walks. The Tigers got him from the Pirates via the waiver wire after he had a couple of big-league cameos with the Yankees and the Pirates.

Blaine Hardy, LH reliever: By no means a prospect, but be prepared for another Hardy sighting at Comerica Park. He has an 0.79 ERA and 0.71 WHIP in five shifts with the Mud Hens.

Paul Voelker, RH reliever: Another guy who could be summoned in a jiffy as the Tigers reacquaint themselves with some old bullpen issues. Voelker, in three games for the Mud Hens (3⅓ innings) has five strikeouts, no walks, and has been nicked for two hits.

... and who’s not

Mikie Mahtook, OF: He’ll get it going, probably in step with spring’s thermometer readings. This man from the South and one-time first-round pick out of LSU (Rays) is for now thawing-out his bat: .179 since he returned to the Mud Hens.

DOUBLE-A ERIE

Who’s hot …

Sergio Alcantara, SS: The Tigers ordered Alcantara be part of last summer’s J.D. Martinez trade package. He’s a switch-hitter batting .319 deep into April. The Tigers would like him to add some muscle, which should in time evolve for a man only 21 who is 5-9, 168.

Jacob Robson, OF: Good baseball player, this London, Ontario, product who otherwise resides in Windsor. Robson, 23, is a fleet guy who bats left-handed and who’s hitting .309 only two years after the Tigers snagged him in the eighth round out of Mississippi State.

Beau Burrows, RH starter: In the front office’s view, Burrows is what might be termed an old, refreshing story. Nothing changes. He simply pitches well. Week to week. Season to season. He’s brandishing a 1.93 ERA and 0.96 WHIP through two starts, with 11 strikeouts in 9⅓ innings. He was the Tigers’ first-round pick in 2015 as a prep star out of Weatherford, Texas.

Kyle Dowdy, RH reliever: Not a billboard guy at the start of the season, but Dowdy, a 12th-rounder out of the University of Houston in 2015, has had four solid games, including one start. The digits: 12⅔ innings, seven hits, two runs, 18 strikeouts, three walks. His ERA (1.42), WHIP (0.79), and opposing batting average (.163) have made him one of the early season’s farm-team pluses.

... and who’s not

Jake Rogers, C: He figures to take a quantum leap or two in coming weeks and months. But so far, April has been a .171 struggle for this catcher who was part of last August’s return in the Justin Verlander deal.

SINGLE-A LAKELAND

Who’s hot …

Austin Athmann, C: Another prospect who hasn’t gotten prime-time attention but who could bat his way into the picture, especially when he’s begun the year with a .359 average and .880 OPS. Athmann was a starting catcher at the University of Minnesota before the Tigers made him a 14th-round pick in 2014.

Blaise Salter, 1B: Simply bashing the ball, this one-time Michigan State star and right-handed stick who is batting .355, with an .885 OPS, thanks in part to a homer, triple, and five doubles. Salter is 24, is 6-5, 245, and was a prep star at Orchard Lake St. Mary’s.

Anthony Castro, RH starter: One of the best-looking young pitchers at any of the Tigers’ farm outposts, Castro has started three games, is 2-0, has an 0.54 ERA and an 0.90 WHIP. In his 16⅔ innings, Castro, who earlier this month turned 23, has struck out 16 and walked four. He is 6-2, 180, and was signed by the Tigers out of Caracas, Venezuela.

Alex Faedo, RH starter: Has little to show for his work (0-2), but Faedo has done his job: 16⅓ innings, 11 hits, 15 strikeouts, one walk. He has an 0.73 WHIP, while enemy hitters are batting .190. He was last year’s first-round draft pick from the University of Florida.

Joe Navilhon, RH reliever: Nice work, again this season, by Navilhon, a one-time Southern Cal star nabbed by the Tigers in the 16th round of the 2016 draft. He has struck out nine and walked one in 7⅔ innings. His WHIP is a dazzling 0.65.

... and who’s not

Derek Hill, OF: Tigers look as if they’re going to long regret this first-round pick from 2014, who is batting .175, with a .458 OPS. Simply has never come close to happening for Hill.

SINGLE-A WEST MICHIGAN

Who’s hot …

Cole Peterson, SS: One of the hot spots in manager Lance Parrish’s batting order, Peterson’s batting .315 only 10 months after the Tigers got him in the 13th round out of St. Bonaventure. He’s 5-11, 160, and swings left-handed.

Garett King, RH starter: He was an 11th-round grab by the Tigers last June (California Baptist) and has had a lovely April: 16 strikeouts and a lone walk in 11.1 innings. King’s WHIP is 0.71. He’s 6-4, 189.

Eudris Idrogo, LH starter: 0.82, 0.91 WHIP, with 10 strikeouts and two walks in 11 innings. Idrogo, 22, was signed out of Anzoategui, Venezuela.

Oswaldo Castillo, RH reliever: Steady work for the Whitecaps, spanning four games and nine innings: seven hits, no runs, 10 strikeouts. Castillo is 21 and was signed by the Tigers as a teenager when he lived in Maracay, Venezuela.

... and who’s not

Jose Quero, 1B: He’s one hit from an 0-for-April, which isn’t making life pleasant for this 19-year-old, left-handed batter out of Barquisimeto, Venezuela.